Energy Management of PV-Battery Systems for Rural Microgrids and Agricultural Water Pumping Applications in Senegal

This work proposes an optimized energy management strategy for a photovoltaic (PV) system coupled with batteries, intended for both rural electrification and agricultural pumping applications. The approach takes into account photovoltaic generation, battery storage and demand management to ensure a balance between domestic needs and irrigation requirements. For the MPPT of PVs with an installed power of 36.6 kWp, we used the conductance increment algorithm (Inc) to provide the PV current reference and the power transfer to the DC bus was provided via a Boost chopper. To ensure the stability of the DC bus voltage, a PI regulator is dimensioned and a management algorithm is developed to control the Buck-Boost coupled to the grid. This algorithm makes it possible to store the excess PV production in the battery pack and to return them in the event of a deficit through the bidirectional converter. In addition, the proposed strategy ensures coordinated operation between generation, storage, and agricultural pumping in order to guarantee the continuity of supply under varying climatic and load conditions. The simulation results highlight the potential of PV-battery microgrids to reduce reliance on diesel, improve access to water for agriculture, and strengthen the sustainability of rural communities. The findings demonstrate that the proposed system achieves stable voltage regulation, efficient energy allocation, and improved autonomy for isolated sites. The study thus proposes a framework that can be replicated in similar contexts in sub-Saharan Africa, simultaneously contributing to energy access and food security.